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There are endless ways to enjoy yuca/cassava, as it’s eaten in so many parts of the world in various different ways! Attieke is fermented, grated cassava. It’s a staple street food of the people who live along the Ivory Coast of West Africa. Attieke is …
Nothing says Fall like homemade pumpkin pie! Just because you’re gluten or dairy-free doesn’t mean you should miss out! These delicious, adorable Cassava Flour Pumpkin Tartlets rival any pumpkin pie out there! Made with Otto’s Cassava Flour, they’re not only gluten-free, but grain-free and paleo …
I like to think of Baked Stuffed Yuca as healthy stromboli – an Italian inspired gluten and grain-free yuca dough rolled around all “real food” nutritious ingredients! They can be made vegan by filling them with only veggies. I filled these with organic grass-fed beef, onions, fresh garlic, red peppers, heirloom tomatoes, spinach and herbs. These have all the nutrition of a full meal rolled into one impressive appetizer, side dish, or main dish! I love dipping these roll-ups in my favorite tomato sauce! YUM! The yuca makes a perfectly crispy, crunchy crust on the outside, while having a soft (almost cheese-like) consistency on the inside (yet these are dairy-free!) Baked Stuffed Yuca can be made ahead, refrigerated or frozen, then sliced and reheated when ready to serve. A true crowd pleaser!!
Ingredients below make one Baked Stuffed Yuca loaf that can be cut into about 10 pieces.
*Full printable recipe below*
-3/4 pound fresh or frozen yuca (I use frozen yuca)
-2 teaspoons avocado oil – divided (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
-1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt – divided (Chosen for its high mineral content)
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder – divided
-Optional – cage-free egg white – to use as an egg wash. Vegan option: Brush avocado oil on top of loaf just before placing it into oven.
-1 pound organic grass-fed beef (or ground turkey or chicken) *Omit for vegan option
-1 tablespoon avocado oil
-5 organic garlic cloves – minced
-1 organic red pepper – diced
-1 1/2 cups organic chopped tomatoes (I used heirloom cherry tomatoes, but any preferred tomato can be used.)
-2 cups organic frozen chopped spinach
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-1 teaspoon organic dried parsley
-1 teaspoon organic dried basil
-1 teaspoon organic dried oregano
-1/4 teaspoon ground chili powder
-fresh ground pepper to taste
If using fresh yuca, it must first be peeled and cut into pieces before boiling. See my page: How to Peel Fresh Yuca
If using frozen yuca, it’s already peeled, cut, and ready to be boiled. There’s no need to even defrost it before boiling! Many find frozen yuca to be much more convenient. It’s typically found in the Goya frozen section at the supermarket.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, place yuca in pot. Ensure yuca is fully covered by water. Return to a boil, then cook 15-20 minutes until fork tender. *Do not to overcook! Overcooking will result in mushy, difficult to work with yuca! While yuca is cooking, prepare filling as directed below.
Once fork tender, drain boiled yuca in colander and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half lengthwise (top to bottom) and remove the stick-like stem that runs through the center.
Cut boiled yuca into chunks before placing into food processor. (See picture below)
*Pulverizing yuca in small batches will avoid overheating the machine. Place 1 heaping cup yuca chunks, 1 teaspoon avocado oil, 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder in food processor at a time.
I use a Vitamix which works very well because of its tamper (a tool used to push the food down onto the blade while it spins.) If using a different food processor, the machine may need to be paused a few times to scrape yuca off the wall of the bowl so that it blends completely.
Check out the Vitamix Blender by clicking here:
Yuca chunks literally transform into dough in under a minute! (maybe a bit longer if a Vitamix isn’t being used.) It’s truly exciting to witness the first time you do it! Check out my little video below!
Once dough forms, spoon it onto a large piece of parchment paper. Beware – dough can be very sticky! Parchment paper is a non-stick surface which is needed to easily work with this dough. If dough seems too sticky to work with, wrap it in parchment and place into freezer for 5-10 minutes. It’s a miraculous trick to decrease the stickiness!
Using a rolling pin, roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to about 1/4″ thickness.
-While the yuca is boiling, bring two frying pans to medium heat.
-In the first pan, brown the organic grass-fed beef (or other ground meat of choice) until no longer pink (about 7-10 minutes.) Omit for vegan option.
-In the second heated pan, place 1 tablespoon avocado oil, chopped organic onions and minced garlic cloves.
-Once onions begin to brown, add chopped red peppers and tomatoes. Cook 2-3 minutes.
-Add spinach, basil, oregano, parsley, chili powder, pink Himalayan salt, and pepper. Cover and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes until spinach becomes warm and wilted, and seasonings mingle.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place rolled out yuca dough, with parchment paper underneath, on counter or cutting board.
Spoon sauteed vegetables onto rolled out yuca dough, leaving a 1″ edge at the top. This will prevent filling from overflowing upon rolling, and allow dough to seal closed.
Spoon browned, ground meat over vegetables.
Starting at the end where the filling comes right up to the edge, carefully peel the edges of the dough away from parchment paper and begin to tightly roll dough around vegetables and meat (like a jelly roll.) Lift parchment slightly to help guide you.
Once dough and fillings are fully rolled up, pinch dough at the seam and at each end to form a seal.
Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Brush loaf with the white of an egg (or with avocado oil for vegan option) to create an egg wash. This creates a nice shine and browning effect once baked.
Sprinkle loaf with a pinch of pink Himalayan salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and dried basil.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes – until yuca crust is firm and slightly brown.
Note: Remove from oven and fully cool before cutting. This will ensure the pinwheel design will stay intact.
Baked stuffed yuca can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. Simply remove from refrigerator (defrost if in freezer,) slice, then bake slices at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, flip, then bake for an additional 5 minutes. SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
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*By ordering recommended products through affiliate connections on our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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I like to think of Baked Stuffed Yuca as healthy stromboli; a gluten and grain-free yuca dough rolled around all nutritious, "real food" ingredients! They can be made vegan by filling them with only the sautéed veggies. These were made with organic grass-fed beef, onions, garlic, red peppers, heirloom tomatoes, and spinach with lots of herbs. Baked Stuffed Yuca has all the nutrition of a full meal rolled into one impressive appetizer, side dish, or main entree! I love dipping these Italian-inspired roll-ups in my favorite tomato sauce! YUM! Make them ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze, then slice and reheat when ready to serve. A true crowd pleaser!!
If using frozen yuca, it’s already peeled, cut, and ready to be boiled. There’s no need to even defrost it before boiling! Many find frozen yuca to be much more convenient.
Cut up boiled yuca into small chunks before placing it into food processor. *Pulverize yuca in small batches to avoid overheating the machine (about 1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped yuca at a time.) Yuca turns into dough in about 30-60 seconds.
Once dough forms, place onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper. *Note: dough can be very sticky. Parchment paper is a non-stick surface needed to easily work with this dough. If dough seems too sticky to work, place it into the freezer for 5-10 minutes. It's a miraculous trick to decrease the stickiness!
Using a rolling pin, roll out yuca dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper until about 1/4" thick.
While yuca is boiling, heat 2 frying pans. The first for browning the meat, and the second, along with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, to saute the vegetables.
Brown the organic grass-fed beef (or other meat of choice) for 7-10 minutes, until no longer pink.
In the second pan, add chopped organic onions and garlic. Saute for a minute or 2.
Once onions begin to brown, add chopped red peppers and tomatoes. Saute 2-3 minutes.
Add spinach, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and chili powder and saute for another 2-3 minutes until spinach warms and wilts, and flavors mingle.
Place rolled out yuca dough, with parchment paper underneath, on counter or cutting board.
Spoon sauteed vegetables onto rolled out yuca dough, leaving a 1" edge at one end to prevent filling from overflowing, and allow dough to seal closed.
Starting at the end where the filling comes right up to the edge, carefully peel the edges of the dough away from parchment paper and begin to tightly roll dough around vegetables and meat (like a jelly roll.)
Place loaf on parchment lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle loaf with a pinch each of pink Himalayan salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and dried basil.
Baked stuffed yuca can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. Simply remove from refrigerator, (defrost if in freezer) slice, then bake slices at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, flip, then bake for an additional 5 minutes. SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Creamy, whipped Yuca Mash! Simple, healthy, and made with all “real food” ingredients!!! What can be better than that? Oh, maybe that it’s Paleo, low glycemic, non-GMO, non-inflammatory, as well as Whole30 and autoimmune protocol approved!! Not sure what yuca is??? It’s a root vegetable, …
What do you get when you take cassava flour and a bunch of nuts and seeds? Delicious, nutritious Paleo Nut and Seed Bars!!!! These bars have just enough sweetness, without being overly sweet. Cassava flour is a low-glycemic, non-inflammatory starch, while nuts and seeds provide …
Have you tried Yuca Chips yet??? If not, maybe this post will inspire you. They’re crispy, crunchy, and DELICIOUS! While my Perfect Yuca Chip recipe is AWESOME, you likely don’t have time to break out the mandolin every time you’d like a snack. And since different brands of ready-made yuca/cassava chips are very different from one another, I thought a little review of my favorite varieties might come in handy (because I’ve tried every brand I could find!!) If you’ve tried one, you have definitely NOT tried them all!!!
Yuca (pronounced “yoo-ka”) and also known as cassava, is an incredibly versatile root vegetable that can do pretty much anything potatoes or wheat can do, only in a healthier way! (Check out the many gluten and dairy-free recipes on CrazyForYuca.com featuring yuca.) Yuca is a tuberous root with a waxy, brown, bark-like skin and a white or yellowish flesh. It’s long and thin, with one end thicker than the other (similar in appearance to a large sweet potato with thicker, waxy skin.) The yuca that we see in the US tend to be about a foot long, but they can grow really large. It can also be bought frozen. It can be found in the frozen Goya section at many supermarkets.
Yuca is gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, Vegan, Paleo, Whole30 approved, soy-free, non-inflammatory, non-GMO, and typically considered safe for those following an autoimmune protocol (AIP friendly.) While not typically a familiar food in America, it’s widely consumed in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, and its popularity is growing steadily in the US. (I’m doing everything I can to get the word out!!!)
For more information about yuca and its incredible health benefits, click links below.
Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava)
Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca (Cassava)
Yuca (Cassava ) Nutrition Facts
In this post I’ll be describing my favorite brands and varieties of yuca/cassava chips, and will do my best to provide enough detail so you can choose the ones you think you’d enjoy. Keep in mind that since I’m gluten, dairy, and soy-free, I’m not able to personally taste test every flavor variety offered. I also aim for the healthiest options that use the “cleanest” ingredients and taste great!
It’s rare to find most brands in stores, but they can all be purchased online by clicking the pictures and links below.
Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips are an excellent, truly classic yuca chip! They’re similar in appearance and crunch to potato chips. They’re made the same way I make mine, by thinly slicing the whole yuca root, cooking in oil (these are cooked in sustainable, non-hydrogenated palm oil) and adding sea salt. Simple, crispy, salty goodness! Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips are non-GMO, vegan, Paleo and gluten-free certified, contain no preservatives, and are made in a peanut and tree nut-free facility. Click text or pictures below to check them out!
Don’t let the name “tortilla chip” fool you! While these chips look like typical tortilla chips made of corn, they’re actually made with a blend of cassava and coconut flours. These are amazing!!! They come in 3 flavors: sea salt, lime, and nacho. All 3 varieties are gluten, dairy, and soy free! I love them all, but my absolute favorite is the lime flavor! No need to dip these babies. They’re awesome plain! Be sure to eat the crumbs at the bottom of the bag – they’re extra limey!! The nacho ones remind me of the Herr’s Ketchup Chips that my kids used to be obsessed with. While not a true nacho cheese type flavor, they’re still delicious! In addition to cassava and coconut flour, these chips are made with chia seeds, sea salt, and conscious spice choices (different for different flavors.) I love that Siete makes these chips with avocado oil, as this is a very healthy oil that remains stable at high temperatures. The cassava flour blend is formed into classic tortilla chip triangle shapes. These chips literally melt in your mouth, kind of like a Pringle. There’s one caveat with these chips – they’re TOTALLY ADDICTIVE! I never buy just one bag!
Click here or on pictures below to check out Siete Grain-Free Tortilla Chips – Sea Salt
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, 3 bags (5 oz each) Sampler of Nacho, Lime, Sea Salt
(Yes, that’s me! A rare cameo!!!)
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, Lime, 5 oz. (Pack of 3)
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, Nacho, 5 oz
Plant Snacks created these delicious gluten-free, non-GMO, grain & corn free, Paleo, trans fat free chips with no preservatives and no artificial flavors or colors. So what’s in them? In the sea salt variety (the one I sampled) the ingredients are simply dried yuca/cassava root, sunflower oil, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and sea salt. These ingredients are blended together, then formed into a square chip (about 1″ square.) They’re salty and crispy with a sesame flavor. Very unique and delicious!
*Note: These yuca root chips used to be called “Cassava Crunch” but have been renamed “Plant Snacks” and repackaged after the taking of the picture below. The recipe has not changed.
Plant Snacks Yuca Root Chips come in 4 flavors including: Sea Salt, Cheddar, Beet with Goat Cheese, and Super Seed varieties.
Click the link or picture below if you’d like a sampler pack so you can try them all!
(Note: I have not taste tested all of the flavors since some contain dairy.)
Plant Snacks Variety Pack – Cheddar, Sea Salt, Beet with Goat Cheese, Super Seeds Cassava Root Chips, Vegan, Big-8 Allergen Free, Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, 5 oz Bags, Pack of 4
If you like a little spice in your life, Jans Jalapeño Chips are the way to go!!! These chips start out like a classic yuca chip in that they’re made from fried, thinly sliced whole yuca/cassava root, but with a kick of jalapeño seasoning! (A mixture of sugar, salt, yeast extract, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder.) Don’t be frightened off by the word “jalapeño.” I think they taste more like an extra spicy barbecue potato chip. No matter what you call these, they’re AMAZING! These are a real favorite in my house, especially with my husband and daughter, true spice lovers who put Sriracha sauce on everything! I enjoy them as well, as long as I have a glass of water handy. (And I’m not typically a spice lover.) Check them out by clicking the pictures or link below.
Jans Root Chips (Jalapeno Cassava Chips, 3 oz)
By ordering recommended products through links on our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
For yuca snacks, pantry items, and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my own kitchen.
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
This guilt-free lasagna has everything that makes lasagna yummy, yet no gluten, grain, or dairy to trigger many common food sensitivities. It’s even Paleo and Whole30 compliant! Who ever thought one could say that about lasagna??? While it may be a bit unconventional, this lasagna …
What’s a Southwestern Egg Roll? Think Chinese egg rolls, only the inside is a burst of spicy Southwestern flavored chicken and veggies! WHAT AN AMAZING IDEA!!! I only wish I thought of it! This recipe is courtesy of The Modern Cavegirl from Heart & Bones …
Who doesn’t love a salty hot pretzel??? As a gluten-free eater I thought I’d never have one again, until now! These Grain-Free Soft Pretzels are THE REAL DEAL!!! They’re made with Otto’s Cassava Flour, so they’re naturally gluten and grain-free! With all “real” whole food ingredients, this is a snack that you can feel good about eating and serving to your family. This soft, chewy dough topped with coarse salt is indistinguishable from soft pretzels made from wheat! Never feel deprived again! Eat them plain, with your favorite mustard, or other dipping sauce. You’ll be happy you did!!!
This first thing you’ll need in order to make your Grain-Free Soft Pretzels is a bag of Otto’s Cassava Flour which you can purchase by clicking the link below.
See: Getting To Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour for more information about this incredibly versatile gluten-free, grain-free, non-GMO, Paleo, Whole30 approved, autoimmune protocol friendly flour!
***At Crazy For Yuca, my goal is to bring my followers the best gluten-free, dairy-free, “real” food recipes featuring yuca and cassava flour. (Yuca and cassava are the same thing.) Some of my posts are original CrazyForYuca recipes, and others are from other bloggers and recipe developers who are doing amazing things with yuca/cassava! (Because there’s no need to re-invent the wheel – am I right???) My goal is to become the place yuca lovers can go to find all the best yuca/cassava recipes!
I test out others’ recipes to ensure they’re awesome, tweak them to fit my eating style if needed, take my own step by step pictures while making them, and post along with my personal tips – giving full credit to the original recipe creator with a link to their post. If it isn’t my own recipe I cannot legally provide the full recipe in my post.
Heather did an incredible job of re-creating soft pretzels using cassava flour! I’ve had my eye on this recipe since I launched my site back in November and finally had time to make them. They will definitely be a staple in my house from now on! Thank you Heather!
After reading my post about them, check out her full recipe by clicking this link: “Paleo Soft Pretzels.” Heather also has an AIP version without the yeast which she calls “AIP Soft Pretzel Bites.”
Links to all non-perishable pantry items can be found in the shopping tab above or by clicking on the ingredient listed below.
Ingredients for pretzel dough:
-warm water
-extra virgin olive oil (I used avocado oil, as I do for most baking, because of its high smoke point. An oil’s smoke point is the temperature at which it breaks down, loses nutrients, changes flavor, and may produce free radicals that can be damaging to one’s health. (See: Dr. Axe’s article “Why Avocado Oil Got Rx Status in France.”)
–pure maple syrup (I used Hidden Springs Organic Maple Syrup.)
-cage-free egg (I used a duck egg since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs. Both work perfectly!)
–active dry yeast (I used one packet of Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast, which is gluten-free and kosher.)
-salt (I used pink Himalayan salt because of its additional mineral content compared to table salt.)
Ingredients for boiling pretzels:
-water
Ingredients for pretzel topping:
-egg yolk for egg wash – (Brush pretzels after boiling)
–coarse salt (I used Pereg Coarse Crystals Red Sea Salt – which isn’t actually red in color.)
Instructions:
The recipe involves making the pretzel dough, forming it into the desired number of pretzels (depending on how big you want them to be,) boiling them, brushing with an egg wash, topping with coarse salt, and then baking. (While it contains yeast, there’s no requirement to allow time for the dough to rise. I was curious if that was an omission, so I covered the dough and put it in a warm, dark place for an hour, but it didn’t rise. They came out great which just makes these even quicker to make!)
For Heather’s full instructions click here, Paleo Soft Pretzels.
Pretzel dough balls get rolled out into “snakes,” which are formed into pretzel shapes (or whatever shape is preferred!)
The pretzel shaped dough is brushed with an egg wash, and sprinkled with coarse salt.
It’s important to use coarse salt, as opposed to a finer grain of salt, if an authentic soft pretzel look and taste is desired. YUM!!!
Heather instructs to use egg yolk mixed with a little water for the egg wash. My pretzels came out a bit darker in color than I would have liked (but still deliciously tasty!) Next time I will try using either the whole egg or just the egg whites to get a lighter colored pretzel. (The color may have been darker because I use duck eggs.)
Serve plain, with mustard, or any dipping sauce of choice! Make them for yourself, or for your next party!!! They’re a real crowd-pleaser!
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for ingredients to make Grain-Free Soft Pretzels, or to see recommended pantry items and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make other Crazy For Yuca recipes!
Check out the yuca/cassava snacks! – All personally taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a detailed description of the recommended yuca/cassava chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
I call this recipe Mandel Bread / Biscotti because there’s little (if any) difference between these 2 cookies. I want everyone to feel free to enjoy them – no matter one’s heritage, or holiday celebrating. With both Passover and Easter coming within the next week, …
While I usually incorporate yuca (a.k.a. cassava) into typical American food as a way to make gluten-free cooking more diverse and less restricting, today I’m excited to share a traditional recipe showing how yuca is eaten in another part of the world. This recipe for …
I’m making this banana bread as I type up this post, and the incredible aroma as it’s baking has taken over the house! I can’t wait for it to cool off so I can take my blog pictures and dig in!!! Whether made into muffins or loaves, this recipe is the perfect gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, dairy-free, soy-free, healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert any time! They’re just sweet enough, without being overly sweet. This banana bread is my husband’s absolute favorite! I like to make a batch, then throw them in the freezer so they’re available any time.
Go Nuts with Gluten-Free Grain-Free Banana Bread / Muffins!
While this recipe is amazing without nuts, adding your favorite nut is a great way to boost the protein, Omega-3 fats, fiber, and minerals in your diet, all while enjoying a scrumptious piece of banana bread or muffin!
If you haven’t tried cassava flour yet, you’re missing out! (FYI – yuca and cassava are different names for the same root vegetable.) Cassava flour is a relatively new flour that has emerged in the gluten-free, Paleo, and autoimmune protocol worlds in recent years. It’s a whole-food, non-GMO flour made simply by drying and grinding the white flesh of the peeled yuca root. Since yuca has a low glycemic index of 46, it will not spike blood sugar the way many other gluten-free flours can. It’s therefore considered safe for diabetics.
It can be used in place of wheat flour in most recipes to create grain-free treats with all the goodness expected of wheat flour. It has a neutral taste and a texture similar to wheat flour (not grainy like some nut flours.) It’s finer than wheat flour; a bit like powdered sugar in that if mixed too vigorously it creates a “flour cloud” over the bowl. It’s dryer than wheat flour, so recipes often need a bit more liquid.
I use Otto’s Cassava Flour for all of my baking since it tastes great, is certified gluten-free, non-GMO and Paleo, and is made upholding the highest standards. See About Cassava (Yuca) Flour for more information.
By ordering Otto’s Cassava Flour through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
This recipe makes 20 muffins or 2 loaves
Ingredients:
-2 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
-2 tablespoons organic coconut flour (I use NOW Foods Organic Coconut Flour.)
-1 teaspoon baking soda (I typically use Bob’s Red Mill baking soda because they mine their sodium bicarbonate directly from the ground in it’s natural state, while many other brands use a chemical reaction process (1.))
-¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt (I use pink Himilayan sea salt for all cooking and baking because of its high mineral content.)
-4 cage-free eggs – room temperature (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs. Both chicken and duck eggs work perfectly!)
-2 cups mashed, ripe organic bananas (About 4-5 bananas)
1 cup organic maple syrup -room temperature
-½ cup organic applesauce – no sugar added
-1/3 cup organic coconut oil – melted ( I use Nutiva Organic Coconut oil)
-1 tsp organic vanilla extract
–baking cups – If making muffins.
parchment paper – If making loaves
-Optional: Add pecans and/or walnuts – reserving some to sprinkle on top of muffin or loaf.
How nutty are you??
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl blend dry ingredients including Otto’s Cassava Flour, coconut flour, baking soda and pink Himalayan sea salt . In a second bowl, combine wet ingredients including eggs, mashed bananas, maple syrup, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla. Combine ingredients from the 2 bowls by adding wet ingredients to the dry, then stir just until moistened. (*Over-blending may cause your banana bread to be gummy.)
Optional – Add chopped pecans and/or walnuts, stirring just enough to blend.
Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with baking cups or into 2 loaf pans lined with parchment paper.
Optional: Sprinkle additional nuts on top for added crunch and a truly spectacular looking muffin or loaf!
For muffins: Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a fork inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
For loaves: Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.
Notes: These freeze well.
Gluten-Free Grain-Free Banana Bread
Gluten-Free Grain-Free Banana Muffins (With and Without Nuts)
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Whether made into muffins or loaves, this recipe is the perfect gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, dairy-free, healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert any time! They're just sweet enough, without being overly sweet. Go nuts and add pecans and/or walnuts to boost the protein, Omega-3 fats, fiber, and minerals of this delicious treat! Make a batch, then throw them in the freezer so they're available any time.
In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients including Otto's Cassava Flour, coconut flour, baking soda and pink Himalayan sea salt until well combined.
In a second bowl combine eggs, mashed bananas, maple syrup, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla.
Place blended wet ingredients into dry ingredient bowl and stir just until moistened. (*Over-blending may cause your banana bread to be gummy.)
Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with baking cups or 2 loaf pans lined with parchment paper.
If desired, sprinkle additional nuts on top for added crunch and a truly spectacular looking muffin!
Bake muffins at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, and loaves for 45-55 minutes, or until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes: Freeze well. Defrost quickly at room temperature or in microwave for about 30 seconds.
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
This is no ordinary chocolate chip cookie! While it has chocolate chips, it also has dried cherries, cinnamon, and is made from naturally gluten-free cassava flour! They’re soft-baked, with a melt-in-your-mouth crumbly texture, and just enough maple syrup sweetness. These are my go-to cookie when …
Spend 5 minutes of prep time, then go about your day knowing this simple, delicious 4 ingredient crockpot chicken will be ready and waiting for you when you get home! Then boil up some yuca (because everything is better with yuca!) while chopping and sauteing …
If you haven’t tried Otto’s Cassava Flour yet, what are you waiting for??
Cassava flour is a whole-food flour made simply by drying and grinding the white flesh of the peeled yuca/cassava root. (Yuca and cassava are different names for the same root vegetable.)
For baking that does not require rising, cassava flour can often replace wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio. For recipes requiring rising, a combination of cassava flour and other gluten-free flours can be used to obtain the desired result. It requires a little experimentation.
Cassava flour can be used to make cassava breads, tortillas, pizza crust, pie crust, cookies, brownies, cakes, muffins, pancakes, crackers, you name it!! All with no gluten – or even any grain!!! I don’t know about you, but that is REALLY exciting to me!!!
For those who are gluten-free like me, I’m sure you can relate when I say – How much almond flour can a person eat? I kept worrying that the next food sensitivity I was going to develop was a sensitivity to almonds since I seemed to make EVERYTHING out of them!
Cassava flour is a truly healthy alternative to wheat for those who are gluten intolerant or have an allergy to nuts. A further benefit is that it will not spike blood sugar the way many gluten-free flours can. It’s a wonderful choice for “gluten eating” people as well, as it’s a delicious, natural, unprocessed flour.
There are many reasons why I use Otto’s Cassava Flour. First – it tastes great! Many people find it indistinguishable from wheat flour! It has no fillers and is not enriched with anything. The only ingredients are cassava/yuca and water. It’s certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and Paleo. Many other cassava flours are made by peeling and then sun-drying the root. This allows fermentation which can create a sour tasting and musty smelling flour. Otto’s Cassava Flour is made in Brazil, (not Africa like some brands) where it’s peeled and baked according to their proprietary method – with no fermentation or opportunity for mold growth. As someone with autoimmune issues, avoiding mold is a top priority. Otto’s is the highest quality, cleanest tasting flour. If you tried a different brand of cassava flour and didn’t like the taste of your recipe, don’t give up before trying Otto’s. You won’t be sorry.
Otto’s Cassava Flour – Nutrition
Serving size: ¼ cup (32g)
| %DV | ||
| Calories | 110 | |
| Total Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 g | |
| Sodium | 0 g | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 28 g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g | 11 % |
| Sugars | 0 g | |
| Protein | 3 g | 11% |
| Calcium | 32 mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 83 mg | 2% |
| Manganese | 11% |
Otto’s Cassava Flour can only be found in some specialty stores and online. Click link or picture below to purchase Otto’s Cassava Flour.
By ordering Otto’s Cassava Flour through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
If you haven’t tried yuca (a.k.a. cassava) yet, you are in for a treat! Yuca is in many ways similar to a potato in that it’s white, has a very mild taste, and takes on the flavor of the sauces and spices within which it …
This is not your typical, dry Thanksgiving turkey! This bird is moist and flavorful and is made a day ahead so it can soak up its juices overnight and free you up to enjoy your guests. It makes a scrumptious main meal and side dish …
Yuca (pronounced yoo-ka) is an incredibly versatile root vegetable that can do anything wheat or potatoes can do, only in a much healthier way!
It’s truly the chameleon of foods!
Peeled yuca can be boiled, baked, mashed, roasted, fried, dried or fermented and transformed into breads, fries, chips, tortillas, pancakes, pizzas, empanadas, pie crusts, cookies, cakes, you name it!
Yuca is also called cassava or manioc, depending on where you are in the world. While many Americans haven’t heard of it, yuca is eaten regularly throughout Latin America, Asia and Africa. Ask anyone from these parts of the world and they will enthusiastically tell you about a traditional yuca family recipe that they love! The big question is – “Why have Americans been left out of the worldwide yuca party?” It’s my mission to bring yuca/cassava into the kitchens of every American (not just the gluten-free) as it’s just that delicious and impressive!!!
Yuca is full of immune-boosting vitamin C and resistant starch (a type of fiber that is highly beneficial to the good bacteria of the colon.) The resistant starch in yuca actually goes through most of the digestive tract undigested, so about 20% of yuca’s carbs and calories don’t count!!!! – You heard that right! Yuca just keeps getting better and better!!
If that doesn’t pique your interest – yuca is not only gluten-free, it’s Paleo, Vegan, Whole30 approved, non-GMO, and considered safe for those following an Autoimmune Protocol!
Yuca is literally THE perfect carb!!!
I’d like to take you on a little journey to explain how my obsession with yuca came to be. Along the way, I’ll share the 5 core recipes that started it all!
Who knows?……. Once you try them, you too may become Crazy For Yuca!
Feel free to click on the recipes and links along the way. They’ll likely answer all of your yuca questions and get you totally psyched to make your first fries, flatbread, empanadas, tortilla wraps, and pancakes – all out of yuca! I’m telling you – you will never miss the grain!!!
Once you make these recipes for yourself, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the basics of cooking with yuca – the most versatile food you may never have known existed!
These 5 basic recipes will forever change your cooking repertoire!
This past March (2017) I went to a Costa Rican restaurant with my family for my birthday and we shared “Chili over Crispy Yuca Fries” as an appetizer. We didn’t even know what yuca was! But since it was labeled gluten-free (which 3 of us are) we gave it a try. We all LOVED it!
That was the initial spark. My curiosity was piqued!
I went home and immediately started researching all about yuca. Is it really gluten free? What else can I make with it? What kinds of nutrients does it contain? Why had I never heard of it before? For the answers to all of these questions and more, see: About Yuca: Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava) and About Yuca: Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts on this site.
Who could have known that this one appetizer would lead to the launching of a blog a few months later?…. A move that is TOTALLY out of character for me! I’m not a social media person, and I already have a job that keeps me really busy!
I made my first batch of yuca fries at home using a bag of Goya frozen yuca. They were AWESOME!!! My husband, daughter and I gobbled them up! I was so proud of my creation that I “plated” them in a basket, took a picture, and sent it to my older daughter with great enthusiasm! (Picture shown on the right.) This one picture is where it all began!
After playing around with a few variations, I came up with these Baked Yuca Fries. No need to immerse in oil. Just a light coating of avocado oil and you have fries that are perfectly crispy on the outside and satisfyingly soft and chewy on the inside. They hold their own as a delicious appetizer, side dish or snack, or make a perfect pair with some chili on top.
While the fries are amazing, fries alone could never have propelled me to put all this time and effort into creating a blog! I must credit Jennifer Robbins of PredominantlyPaleo.com for this next discovery. It was her recipe for basic “yuca dough” that totally triggered my OBSESSION with yuca!
After making “yuca dough” into flatbread just once, I’ve been obsessing day and night jotting down ideas, making and revising recipes, and laughing at ridiculous yuca puns with my husband such as – Welcome to my “Yuca-teria!,” “yuca-ta” try this recipe!, and “yuca-n” make this without grain! He keeps calling me the “yuca-lady” (which in case it isn’t obvious is funny because it sounds like yukalele. Say it out loud. It’s really fun to say!) It has gotten really out of control at my house!!!!!!! I’ve been forcing yuca upon everyone who comes over! I literally can’t stop talking about yuca!!! I’m REALLY annoying!!! I either needed to get myself some serious professional help, or channel my new passion into a blog – hence the name – “Crazy” For Yuca!!!
Back to chatting about this flatbread – As a person who has been gluten-free for over 5 years, I have learned to live without a number of foods and food-related emotional experiences. This type of deprivation is something I happily accept in exchange for feeling well. Honestly, I didn’t even realize how much I missed the sensation of biting into a warm, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside piece of garlic bread until I bit into this flatbread right out of the oven! It’s true comfort food…… Like I get filled up with this deep feeling of joy and satisfaction while eating it! I can’t think of any other food that ever made me feel like that! DEPRIVATION NO MORE!!!
I must warn you – Don’t make more than you want to eat!!! IT”S ADDICTIVE!!!
The good news is – once you master this basic dough, the possibilities for seasoning variations and applications to other dishes that traditionally use grain are endless!!!!!!!!!!!………
Say good-bye to feeling deprived! You really can have it all!
***The basic dough that was used to make this delicious garlic flatbread can be used to make an endless number of incredible things!….. Such as my family’s favorite…. EMPANADAS!!! Trust me when I tell you, every member of your family will be happy with dinner on empanada night!
I must admit that I don’t think I ever had an empanada before making them out of yuca. But I do remember watching a group of people devouring an amazing-looking plate of them at a friend’s house a few summers ago and thinking, “since I’m gluten-free I’ll never know what it’s like to bite into one of those.” 🙁 I just sat there listening to everyone’s moans of sheer ecstasy as they bit into that crunchy crust and praising the woman who made them. (I’m pretty good at not feeling bad for myself for being gluten-free, but that moment was a toughy!) Luckily, thanks to yuca dough, my days of deprivation are over. HELLO EMPANADAS!!
I have to say -these empanadas are THE recipe that made my family go “Crazy For Yuca” right along with me!…… as well as both sides of my extended family and all the members of my Recipe Swap Club!…. (the gluten and dairy-free healthy eating group that I run.) I can always count on Yuca Empanadas being a hit!
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Cassava flour is a relatively new flour that has emerged on the healthy eating scene in the past few years. Its existence opens up a new world of possibilities for the gluten-free, Paleo, nut-free, and all-around healthy eater! It’s also a great option for anyone who just wants to decrease grain consumption.
Cassava flour is simply made by drying and grinding peeled cassava/yuca root into flour. It isn’t stripped of its nutrients by processing the way many flours are, and therefore retains its natural fiber, vitamins and minerals. This pure, whole-food flour looks like wheat flour, tastes very similar to wheat flour, and can replace wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio in many recipes (although if rising is required, a mixture of cassava and other gluten-free flours may be needed.)
For more info see: About Yuca: Getting to Know Cassava Flour
I use Otto’s Cassava Flour and have had nothing but amazingly delicious results! Cassava flour is not typically available in supermarkets, although it can be found in small organic markets or online.
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
By ordering Otto’s Cassava Flour through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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The first thing I made using Otto’s Cassava Flour was tortillas wraps!
Honestly, tortilla wraps never excited me before discovering this recipe. I always thought wraps added a slightly unpleasant taste to my food. Their only purpose was to hold the food together. By the end of my meal I’d usually unroll my wrap and just eat whatever was inside.
I experimented with cassava flour tortillas simply to decrease my daughter’s grain consumption, since she eats wraps daily (she isn’t even gluten-free!) I played around with a bunch of different variations, but many lacked the proper “bendability” required of a good wrap.
Then I came across Dr. Sarah Ballantyne’s Paleo Flour Tortillas (AIP Friendly!) from ThePaleoMom.com. These cassava flour tortilla wraps are truly OUTSTANDING! My family and I love them so much that I decided to stop trying to “re-invent the wheel!” We are adopting these as our family’s tortilla wraps! I can’t make them without eating at least one right out of the pan! I make them with Otto’s Cassava Flour.
For ThePaleoMom’s full recipe and a great video demo check out Paleo Flour Tortillas (AIP Friendly!)
These wraps not only do a perfect job of holding food together, they add deliciousness to whatever is in them. Click here for my Cassava Flour Tortilla Post and see some ways my family enjoys these wraps.
Once I saw how great the tortillas were, I started wondering…. “What else can I make with my new cassava flour that I’d previously cut out of my diet when going gluten-free? (Obsessing about this stuff literally keeps me up at night these days!!)
The next recipe was obvious – pancakes!
You may wonder why pancakes would be so high on my list since there are many gluten-free flours and nut flours that can be used to make pancakes? I didn’t eat gluten-free pancakes much because gluten-free flours spike my blood sugar, leaving me with low energy, muscle aches, and extreme brain fog! I struggle with blood sugar instability and blood tests show that I’m pre-diabetic when I eat sugar and grain (so I rarely do.) Yuca/cassava is a whole-food source of carbohydrate with a low glycemic index. Foods with a low glycemic index release glucose into the bloodstream at a slow, steady rate without causing blood sugar spikes. Yuca has even been recommended as a good starch for diabetics! See: About Yuca: Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts for more info.
As far as making pancakes with almond flour, the grainy texture just doesn’t cut it for me. Also, I’m honestly sick of making EVERYTHING out of almond flour! (If you are gluten-free or Paleo you know exactly what I mean!!) How many almonds can a person eat in one day?! If I eat almonds in my breakfast, and then eat nuts or an apple with almond buttr as a snack in the afternoon, I get a stomachache! I’d much rather have my cassava flour pancakes (made with a bunch of cage-free eggs) with fresh berries on top as my deliciously perfect, blood-sugar stabilizing breakfast, and save my nuts for a snack later in the day. One ounce of nuts per days is actually the recommended daily serving, which is only about 23 almonds, 5 cashews, 7 whole walnuts, or 15 pecan halves! While incredibly healthy, too many nuts can add up quickly in terms of fat and calories.
With these Cassava Flour Pancakes you won’t miss the grain! These pancakes have been tested on my husband, kids, and even my daughter’s friends (who are not used to healthy eating) with rave reviews! And not one leftover pancake! I use Otto’s Cassava Flour when making these pancakes.
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
Feel free to leave a comment below. I look forward to having an engaged community of yuca enthusiasts asking questions, making comments, and inspiring new directions for the blog.
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Thanks for reading my first post about the evolution of my obsession with yuca (cassava!) Once you try a recipe or 2 you’ll likely find yourself inspired by this incredibly transformative root vegetable as well! I have soooo… many deliciously satisfying, whole-food yuca recipes to share! Enter your email at the top, right corner of this post to join the Crazy For Yuca community. You’ll receive free recipes sent right to your inbox, along with tips for cooking easy, healthy, “real” food. I hope you will join us!
Disclaimer– At Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and require personal guidance from a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
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